Impetus
by Listenerofshadows
Summary: Impetus, a word defined as "the force that makes something happen or happen more quickly." A fic in which canon take a complete 180 when Anakin and Padme arrive drunk at her parents' doorstep. Now Palpatine has fallen from favor of his home planet, a confused Anakin is granted political immunity on Naboo while the Naberries and the Jedi Order are locked in a bitter custody battle
1. Catalyst

**A/N: This is probably a close runner-up to being one of the most crackiest-sounding things I have ever wrote about, second only to Motif. This is based on a tumblr post by FlamingAnakin where an anon suggested an AU in which the entire SW universe is changed simply because Padme and Anakin show up drunk at her parents' doorsteps and it happens to loosen Anakin's tongue to reveal some pretty crappy things about the Jedi Order and how creepy Palpatine is.**

 **But anyways, if I can actually be productive for once in my life, i might be able to churn out more than just a single chapter on this fantastic mess that reveals how messed up inside both the jedi and Palpatine is.**

 **Disclaimers: Mentions of Palpatine being a pervert, nothing too graphic.**

 **Anyways, please leave a comment at the end of the chapter to let me know if you enjoyed reading it so far :)**

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"Where have you two been?" Jobal asked, her eyebrows knitted together in worry as she caught Padme from collapsing onto the ground.

The two were seven hours late—they just about to call the police when the two came lumbering in. Wherever the pair had been, it had been well stocked with liquor.

Her youngest daughter laughed, her cheeks rosy red. She wore a blue poncho over a dress suspiciously done in the style of a bridal dress.

"Me and Ani," She said between breaths, "We got married."

"Married?!" The adult members of House Naberrie exclaimed in unison. Sola's children were already tucked sound asleep in bed.

"Shhhhhhh," Anakin hushed before leaning into Padme, "It's supposed to be a SECRET."

"When did you two do get married?" Sola asked, a small frown tugging at her face.

"This evening on the setting sun," Padme smiled dreamily, "It was so beautiful! I—I wanted you to be there, but Ani wouldn't let me."

"Not fair." Anakin pouted, "Its' a-ah-upposed to be a secccret. You promised."

"I know I did," Padme pulled away from her mother to clasp his hands, "I'm sorry."

The Naberries exchanged looks with one another, as equally as surprised and disturbed by the news as the other. All of them had been in favor of Anakin Skywalker. The kid was awkward and shy, but his genuine care for Padme was evident. Padme herself seemed fond of him; several times she was caught staring into his eyes, lost in thought.

Padme possessed a beautiful figure and many suitors flocked to her. But none of them seemed captivated by her kind and witty personality; they were only head over heels for her beauty and status. This was the first time they had seen a suitor enchanted for Padme as a person.

The only problem was the two moved around each other like planets stuck in orbit.

" _Those two need a push,"_ Sola had said with a gleam in her eyes, _"Perhaps we could invite Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome to a family dinner when Padme's visiting. Only it wouldn't be a family dinner, but a table set for two…"_

None of them never imagined the two eloping by themselves. What appeared more disturbing was Anakin's insistence that it be kept a secret. Were the two afraid of how they would react? Did they really believe they would be angry at their actions?

"Padme, dear, did you get married before or…after you consumed alcohol?" Johol questioned, attempting to get to the bottom of this sarlacc pit.

"We got married before, whwhy'd—" Padme's eyes widened, "Oh no, no, no isn't like that, we love each other!"

"Love each other," Anakin repeated.

"After what happened on Geonosis," She continued, "We couldn't be separated anymore—we had to be together!"

"Be together," Anakin agreed, squeezing her hands.

"Anakin, do you know it's Naboo custom to ask for your beloved one's father for their hand in marriage?" Juwee questioned, crossing his arms.

Anakin paled.

"Nooo'sirr," He garbled his words together, "But had-a be a secret, just had too!"

"Why does it have to be a secret?" Darred, Sola's husband, spoke up.

"Jedi can't marry," He averted his eyes, "Not ah-upposed too. No attachments."

"No attachments?" Sola asked skeptically.

"No attachments." Anakin confirmed, swaying.

"Let's go sit down in the living room," Jobol suggested, catching the young Jedi before he fell.

Anakin and Padme readily agreed, although the two insisted on sharing a love sofa together. Once Jobol prepared a pot of tea to relax everyone's nerves, the discussion resumed.

"Anakin, Padme. We're…glad to see you are happy together. But it's unhealthy to keep your marriage a secret. Do the Jedi…not accept any form of love?" Jobol carefully asked.

"Love is forbidden. No attachments." Anakin's jaw clenched, "But we are encouraged to be compassionate—thaaat's unconditional love, right? I'm deeply compassionate for Padme."

"And as I am for you," Padme giggled.

"No…love?" Sola whispered, scarcely believing this.

The Jedi Order were renown throughout the galaxy for their peacekeeping, kindness and generosity. She was floored. She couldn't imagine such a noble order would forbid their members from denying a basic part of themselves; to love. If she was forbidden from loving Darred…she'd go insane.

Jobol and Juwee shared a look with one another. They couldn't transmit thoughts and feelings across a mind bond, but they were married long enough to have something close to it. Both had taken Anakin's aloof personality as a sign of teenage awkwardness. They hadn't the slightest clue that it was the sign of a person deprived of love.

"Anakin," Juwee said slowly, "every sentient being desires love. It isn't shameful to admit you love Padme."

"I do love her!" Anakin declared, his hand wrapped around hers, "I unconditionally love her."

The poor kid beamed, oblivious to the point Juwee was making. He was so starved for love, that he stretched compassionate's definition to justify his feelings for Padme.

"It seems hard living in the Jedi Temples, not being allowed a basic right to marry," Darred pointed out.

"Marrying…is a basic right?" Anakin frowned before shrugging, "S'okay. Better than being a slave."

"You were a slave?!" Jobol cried out.

Padme reassuringly placed a hand on his shoulder, worried for his reaction.

"No, no, it's okay," He mumbled to her, stroking her hand, "Yeah I was. Only for a little while. The Jedi discovered I could use the Force so they freed me. They wouldn't free—my mother though. I—I don't know why, I just—they wouldn't—"

His voice cracked, as he stared into the ground.

"Anyways, I still got a tracker on my body."

"It's still on you?" Padme asked, startled.

Anakin wrinkled his nose, "S'okay, the transmitter and bomb is deactivated."

"A bomb?" Padme murmured, "Ani, dear, that is not okay."

"She's right," Juwee said, "Deactivated or not, it shouldn't still be there."

"Really?" Anakin looked up shaken, "I asked Palpatine about it and he said it was okay but—he says a—a lotta things are okay."

"Anakin," Jobol asked in a motherly but stern tone, "what does that mean?"

Anakin shifted uncomfortably in his seat as his cheeks reddened, "Don't wanna talk about it."

"Supreme Chancellor or not, if he's harming you in any way—"

"You'd laugh." Anakin huffed.

"We won't laugh." Sola promised.

"You—you're sure?" He hiccuped.

"We swear under the moon of Naboo we won't laugh." She stated solemnly.

"He—he does weird things," He said in a small voice, "like touch me in places where it makes me feel uncomfortable. He says it's okay, but I don't think it is, is it? He—he sometimes reactivates my tracker. He says he does it so he can check up on me to see if I'm safe.

"W-when I was still taking courses, he'd want to visit me during class and the—the teachers would just let me go. They didn't do that for anyone else. He's nice sometimes. I like when he's nice. But then he does weird things and—"

Anakin cut off his sob-racking words as someone enveloped him in a hug-then another and another—until the whole Naberrie family was wrapped into a group hug with Skywalker in the center. He could sense their love in the Force, it was stronger than he ever imagined it could ever be. He felt…completely and utterly safe in their embrace. The realization caused him to cry harder.

They remained entangled for almost an eternity until they slowly detached. As each person glanced at one another, not a dry face was remaining.

"Anakin, you may have believed you were only marrying Padme, but you were also marrying into our family today. Family loves and looks out for another, Anakin," Johol said softly, "What Palpatine did, what the Jedi Order did, is not right."

"It isn't?" Anakin asked hesitantly, as the room was starting to spin.

"No, Anakin."

"Palpatine does weird things, b-but he's a friend. He means well! He wouldn't hurt me on purpose—"

"Anakin," Juwee placed a hand on his shoulder, "We will do everything in our power to make sure he won't even lay a hand on you ever again."

"Nev'er ag'ain?" Anakin mumbled, growing increasingly drowsy.

"Never again." His father-in-law promised.

"Good." Anakin said as his eyelids fluttered shut.


	2. The Morning After

**A/N: Thank you guys for the reviews! I'm not sure when I'll have chapter 3 done but I'll try my best to have it out before the month's out ;)**

 **Enjoy!**

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Padme Naberrie Amidala woke up with a pounding headache and a burning desire to skin the Supreme Chancellor of the free Republic alive.

"Arugh," She sat up, clutching her head in pain.

Her parents had been gracious enough to set them up in a dark bedroom. Anakin was still caught in the jaws of sleep—his chest rising and down steadily. She gently ran her hand through his hair. He looked so peaceful, so innocent. She wanted to believe that Palpatine hadn't preyed on Anakin. But she has known the Chancellor since a young girl and, she can believe it.

He has never attempted anything on her. But she spent months at his side, learning how to work the floor politically. She's seen him manipulate people like marionettes to do his bidding. She's always saw he was a snake behind his kind and naïve mask. She knew during the Crisis on Naboo that he had his greedy eyes set on obtaining the supreme chancellor seat. She only let him have it to secure Naboo's freedom with as few casualties as possible. He was always a snake, but a snake on their side.

She has never had him make any advances towards her because Palpatine is smart. He wouldn't risk his whole political career by assaulting his Queen. However, she witnessed how he stared intently at her growing prepubescent figure. How a touch on the shoulder lasted a few seconds longer than necessary. She never liked Palpatine after she discovered his true colors and he knew it. Both Palpatine and Padme put on a play for Naboo, as the finest political partnership the planet has ever produced. A weight lifted off her shoulders when Palpatine officially ended his mentorship.

"You've grown into a fine politician," He gave one of his trademark grandfatherly smiles, "There's nothing more I can teach you."

"It's an honor to receive such a compliment from you, Supreme Chancellor," She smiled in returned, a carefully crafted one that all politicians are honed in.

The holo-cams buzzed as the press eagerly snapped pictures of the two's handshake. The Holo-Net News went wild with the event, claiming you could see the "mutual trust and respect on their faces for one another". Padme laughed when her hand maidens showed her the article.

Palpatine's eyes had flared up with anger and disgust. Padme had beaten him. He pursued her—perhaps he had hopes of Padme becoming one of his puppets. But she slipped through his cracks, slowly distancing herself with her task of helping run a planet. Their dance finished once he became established as a chancellor. He longer had need of her influence.

Padme was untouchable. Anakin, on the other hand, he was a completely different story. It infuriated her to think of such an easy target he must've been in Palpatine's eyes. A former slave inducted into an order of people who forbade love? Poor Ani must've been starving for love! Love of any kind—no matter how twisted it was.

She could just picture it, Palpatine offering to take a young Anakin under his wing. The Jedi are peacemakers, the boy needs training in politics, let me take care of that for you. The Jedi agreed—who would argue when the Chancellor wants to tutor one of their own? Even if there had been dissent—Palpatine would've wormed his way in. The Jedi are servitude to the Republic and as a servant of the Republic, let me teach little Anakin.

Anakin, little doe-eyed fresh out of slavery Anakin, wouldn't have refused. He might've been excited, even. He could've been starved for any sort of attention—to have Palpatine pay attention to him must've been elating. Palpatine wouldn't have done anything wrong for the first few months. She's seen how he operates. He would've buttered Anakin up, listening to his concerns with fake concern and understanding. Once he learned how to control Anakin, that was when he began.

It was all her fault, too. If she hadn't been rash, if she didn't put such a disgusting man in office—

A hand grabbed her wrist.

"Padme?" Anakin questioned. She couldn't read his expressions well in the darkness. But she could tell he was confused and perhaps even frightened of where he was.

"I'm right here," She said softly, "We're at my parents' home."

"What—why'd are we at your parents'—" His breathing hitched, "Oh Force, we told them we got married, didn't we?!"

"I did, actually," She admitted, "But we were both very drunk last night—"

"Are they going to tell the Jedi Order?!" Anakin interrupted, panicking.

"Anakin, Anakin, it's okay," Padme said, attempting to calm him, "They aren't going to tell on you. They're actually happy for us."

"That's—good," He said, taken back by the news. He let go of her hand suddenly, clutching his stomach.

"I feel like—puking." He hissed urgently.

"Hang on a minute—" Padme snatched up the waste basket located conveniently by the bed.

He took the waste basket from her and shoved his face into it. She sympathetically rubbed his back as her husband retched up his meals from yesterday.

"I feel awful." He said, as soon as he placed the bin down.

"Me too." Padme murmured.

He looked at her before laughing, "At least we're awful together."

She grinned, happy to hear his laugh.

"Anakin, do you…remember what happened last night?"

"It's…" Anakin paused, pulling his eyebrows together in concentration, "fuzzy. I remember the bar was closing and we had to get a taxi…"

His voice trailed off.

"Anakin…?" She asked worriedly.

"It's my fault, isn't it?" He murmured, "I was the one who suggested we go out to the bar. If we hadn't gotten so drunk—"

"Ani, look at me." She interrupted, as she placed her hands around his trembling shoulders, "I'm not mad at you. It was my decision to agree with your suggestion. If I hadn't liked it, I wouldn't have done it. You didn't force me to do it, do you understand?"

He stared at her, as if startled by the revelation. She couldn't sense the Force—but she could almost feel him poking at her presence, looking to see if her words rang truth. He wrapped his arms tightly around her, surprising her how fierce his hug was.

"I understand." He spoke hoarsely.

"Good." Padme smiled, as she pulled back to examine him once more.

He was still so uncertain, still frightened and panicked. Padme's family was an unexpected variable—a variable that hadn't been planned for. Anakin had been so insistent on keeping it a secret and she obliged him. But now that it was already unraveling quickly, it set on him on edge.

She pressed her forehead against his, "I love you, Ani. I wouldn't have married you if I hadn't."

His breaths slowed, becoming a steady and calm cadence. He inhaled, his tongue clashing against his teeth to start forming words—

A pinging sound pierced the air and he flinched. He reached to his side for a nonexistent lightsaber.

"It's just the buzzer," She whispered to him before speaking up, "yes?"

The door slid open, revealing C-3PO with a tray. Padme blinked, had they brought the droids with them? She looked over at Anakin, who seemed to be sharing the same thought.

"Oh! You're already awake!" The protocol droid spoke, unaware of their confusion. He walked over to their bedside, prattling on, "Mistress Padme, your parents requested me to check up on you and Master Ani and to give you this."

He placed the tray down on the bedside table. It was two glasses of water with two tablets—presumably pills to help with the hangover.

"Also! They ask for the two of you to join them in the gardens."

"Thank you, Threepio," Anakin hesitated, "Threepio…how did you get here?"

"It's all R2D2's fault! That astromech is more trouble than he is worth, Master Ani! He's a—" The protocol droid descended into a lengthy string of swear words from various languages.

Padme had no idea what any of them meant—the droid knew over 6 million after all—but she could tell from the context they were very unpleasant.

"What'd Artoo do this time?" Anakin asked. Padme hid a smirk with her hand; he sounded like a parent meditating arguments between their children.

"You had informed us that you'd be back at precisely 2100 standard time. When you didn't return, he sought to find you himself. I tried to dissuade him but he wouldn't listen! I followed him only to make sure he didn't end up as scrap, though that overweight glob of grease certainly deserves it!"

"Artoo…was worried about us?" Padme asked. She'd never heard of a droid expressing so much independent programming. Artoo certainly was a special case—the little droid had a lot of spunk for an astromech droid. But even he usually operated based off his programming.

"I suppose, in a way he was." C-3PO responded, "Or it is quite possible he has his wires crossed. I've never met an astromech like the likes of him—so I am uncertain of his intentions."

"Perhaps he should be checked out, to make sure there isn't anything wrong with him…" Padme mulled.

"Hey, I'm sure nothing's wrong with him," Anakin protested, "He just wanted to make sure we're safe, that's all!"

His indignation reminded Padme of how excited he was to show off C3PO. Anakin was fond of droids from the day she first met him. She hadn't pondered the idea until now that droids were perhaps the only true friends her husband had. The image of a young Anakin talking his problems out to an astromech like Artoo almost broke her heart.

"Perhaps you're right," Padme conceded before looking at C3PO, "Please tell my parents that we'll be in the gardens in a few minutes."

"Of course, Mistress Padme," The Protocol droid straightened before walking out of the room.

Anakin contorted his face, clearly uncomfortable with the confrontation with her parents.

"What's…this?" He pointed at the pills on the tray, clearly avoiding the topic.

"It's a pill designed to help with hangovers," She explained as she eagerly grabbed one and gulped it down with water. Her head still felt like it was going to explode at any moment.

"I guess this is your first-time drinking?"

"No!" He quickly denied before glancing down, "Well, yeah. Master Obiwan took me to a lot of bars. Claims it's a good place for information. He'd drink sometimes, but wouldn't ever let me do it."

"Does it bother you?" She asked suddenly, "Having to call him 'master?'"

His cheeks flushed red.

"It's—it's not the same, Padme! He doesn't own me, I know that. It's just a term of respect, that's all." He hotly retorted, though he avoided making eye contact.

"I see," She said, dropping the topic for now. "We should get ready to go see my parents."

He squirmed uncomfortably, "Do we have to?"

"Ani, you met them before. They don't bite."

"Are you sure they're okay with…" He looked around anxiously before loudly whispering, "us?!"

"Anakin, all of them care for you. A lot. My mom and dad especially love you. My nieces adore you. I'm pretty sure my sister was secretly plotting to set us up if we hadn't gotten together on our own," She interlocked hands with Anakin, "I'd like for you to see them again, but I don't want to force you to come with me, Ani. Do you understand?"

"I—I understand." He said, too quickly for Padme's taste.

He fervently pressed himself against her. "I'll go with you, my lady."

She had the distinctive feeling he was afraid of losing her. Silly to some it might seem, but he seemed genuinely concerned that if he said no, she'd leave him. Yes was his only option, whether he liked it or not, in his mind. In a twisted sense, she had become another master to him.


End file.
